Twitter Can Make You Less Fat

Twitter
is a great tool for keeping up with what people are talking about
all over the world.

But a recent study suggests that it's also a useful tool for
losing weight.

Researchers from the University of South Carolina's Arnold School
of Public Health say that using Twitter to keep you accountable
for losing weight works really well, Annie Hauser of
The Huffington Post reports.

As part of the six-month study,
96 overweight or obese adults either listened to two podcasts per
week about nutrition or fitness, or listened to the podcasts,
recorded physical activity, and interacted with other
participants via Twitter.

Those who were required to use Twitter ended up losing more
weight than those who didn't. Researchers found that each tweet
corresponded with half a pound lost.

"Providing group support through online social networks can be a
low cost way to reach a large number of people who are interested
in achieving a healthy weight," lead researcher Brie
Turner-McGrievy, PhD, MS, RD, said in a release.